Richard Westbrook and Michael Valiante got the #90 Spirit of Daytona Coyote Corvette to the checkered flag first in the Emco Gears Classic, the team’s second win of the 2012 Grand Am Rolex season.
Valiante started third, behind the #99 Gainsco Rile Corvette and the #10 SunTrust Dallara Corvette. Valiante got by Ricky Taylor in the SunTrust Dallara on lap seven, and took the lead on lap 18 when Jon Fogarty in the Gainsco car suffered a power steering failure. The #90 SDR Coyote Corvette kept the lead for the rest of the race, save for pit stops.
“How many people can win two races in one day within a couple of hours?” Michael Valiante asked Speed TV after the race. (Valiante won the ST class of the Continental Tire Sports Car Series EMCO Gears Classic earlier that day.) “It was a great drive by Richard and it was so nice to come back after disappointment last weekend and win this one. It’s awesome.”
“It’s amazing that we’re doing so well with such a new car,” commented co-driver Richard Westbrook on grand-am.com.“ It was a big day for all of us at Spirit of Daytona Racing. Detroit was a heartbreak for everyone on the team.” (Westbrook was leading the Belle Isle, Detroit race when he wrecked making an over-aggressive pass of a GT car.)
“We had a very good car, but it was a lot tougher than I think it looked. Scott Pruett was very strong at the end, and I was very relieved to see the checkered flag. I really didn’t have anything else there at the end.”
